


Two Worlds, One Family

by transteverogers



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tarzan Fusion, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-08 02:50:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11072526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transteverogers/pseuds/transteverogers
Summary: Steve never thought he'd fall in love on a deserted island, yet here he is, surrounded by apes and an ape-like man named Bucky, and falling for him fast.





	Two Worlds, One Family

**Author's Note:**

> um sorry in advance if this sucks?? my tumblr is [transteveroger](http://transteveroger.tumblr.com/)
> 
> title taken from Phil Collin's Two Worlds
> 
> This was for the Cap RBB so have a look at this awesome ass art by madara-nycteris  
> 

The boy sat in his small, dark prison room unmoving. He did not fidget, not in the way boys his age were expected to. That was one of the first things They had removed from him during his creation. It had taken decades upon decades, generations passing before They were able to reach this stage. They had managed to create the first monster, the perfect weapon and all They had to do now was cultivate its loyalty. No more stillborns to bury in the endless jungle surrounding the compound, no more horrifying mix of too ape humans to be slaughtered, no more apes with human attributes to be released to live in the wild. No, they had finally created the perfect weapon.

 

Or was it?

 

The boy may have been sat unmoving but that did not mean he was unthinking. They had given him an enhanced intelligence that allowed him to think faster, think harder, think better than the average human could. They were careful with this though, only showing him things that aligned with Their beliefs and ideals Making sure that he would be forged in Their image, with loyalty only to Them. It never occurred to them that, despite all these precautions, the boy might still turn on them.

 

The boy had his own plans. And those plans did not involve becoming a weapon to be wielded at the whim of another. He wished, he longed for freedom.

 

So the boy sat, unmoving, but not unthinking.

 

The boy devoted all his waking hours to planning. Each day, when They allowed him to leave his box for training, he watched. He watched how the guards interacted. He learned when the shift changes were and who was allowed to go where and when. The boy missed nothing during these observations and at night, while he sat unmoving, the boy incorporated each new piece of information into his escape plan. Slowly began to take form.

 

Once the boy had mastered the days’ schedules, he began learning the nights. This took longer and it would have been impossible without his enhancements. They had not only enhanced his mind, but his body too. He was stronger, faster and three times as perceptive as the average human. They had cut him off from the rest of the compound, his presence unsettling to both the staff and other experiments but still, they had underestimated how strong his senses truly were. Sleep was an occasional inconvenience, and he devoted his waking hours to his analysis. The guards were his prey and he was deadly patient. He listened closely to their breathing, footsteps and - if they were close enough - their heartbeats. The boy followed them as long as his sense would allow and, almost immediately, he realised something – each sound grew faster the closer they came his room. They feared him, he realised. He remained unmoving, his face betraying nothing but … something filled his chest with a foreign feeling, a … happiness, of sorts. He could use their fear.

 

It took the boy a month. A month to have both the day and the night schedules down cold, able to account for every second of the guards coming and going. He was ready to leave. There was no way his plan could fail him. The night finally came and he sat unmoving until it was time.

 

Every Wednesday night there was a slight delay in the 03:30 guard change. The boy waited, counting down until he reached 03:29 before standing and stalking towards the thick steel door. Even with his strength, there was no way he would be able to open the door undamaged. Instead, he went after the hinges, grabbing them and twisting until they broke off. He caught the door, with slight difficulty, before it hit the ground. He laid it flat against the ground before moving on.

 

He moved through the dark halls, his heightened senses allowing him to see every wall and passageway, and hear every coming guard with plenty of time to hide. Everything went according to plan until he reached a part of the compound he had never been allowed in before – unfortunately, he knew it was the only way to escape. All of the windows had thick steel bars, which he might be able to get past were it not for the sensors. If he tried them, he would be caught long before he could escape. No. He would have to walk right out the front door and the only way to do that was to steal the key.

 

The boy made his way to the barracks, silently scanning the first room he came across. He pushed the door open to reveal a room filled with sleeping guards - 10, at least. He knew that the head guard would have his own room rather than bunking with commoners, so he carried on. He tried 3 doors before coming across one that was locked. The boy applied more pressure to the handle, snapping the lock easily and pushing the door open to begin his search.

 

It took much longer than he had anticipated, only because it hadn’t occurred to him that the guard would sleep with the keycard around his neck. He crept over to the guard, remaining calm by the grace of all his training and enhancements. He grabbed the chain and snapped it with a slight clink.

 

That was all it took. The guards’ eyes opened, first filled with a sleepy confusion but quickly widening as he realised what was happening. The boy wasted no time, grabbing the guards head and smashing it against the concrete wall with all his considerable strength. Blood splattered, covering the wall and the boy but he paid no attention. He simply grabbed the keycard and left the guards room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

 

The boy retraced his path to the front of the compound, each step bringing him closer to the only thing he’d ever wanted in his life. At last, he reached the door and slide the keycard through the lock device. The red light blinked green after a moment and the boy pushed the doors open.

 

In front of him lay a flat field with a wall and watchtowers with guards and guns but after that. . . freedom.

 

The watchtower lights spotted him within moments and the alarms went off as he broke out into a dead sprint fast enough that the snipers couldn’t properly aim for where he was going to be. When he was almost to the wall, he jumped, using his speed and strong legs to propel himself forward and almost halfway up the wall. He skidded down a bit, skin ripping open as he desperately found purchase in the small cracks along the old wall. After he gained his grip, the boy began his climb upwards, hardly thinking as he moved from crack to crack. Before any of the guards could stop him, the boy was pulling himself up and onto the walkway of the wall between the watchtowers. He paused for a moment, unable to comprehend the sight in front of him.

 

A thick forest lay beneath his feet, going as far as the horizon and further. It was eerily silent, no animals daring to come close to the compound as if fear of the place had been bred into each species. The boy simply took in the sight before him, his face stretching in a way he didn’t recognise. He realised, belatedly, that he was smiling.

 

The boy heard the doors of the watchtowers on either side of him open but the guards were too far away. He stepped back, wanting to get as much leverage as possible before he rushed forward, leaping off the edge of the wall. His body unfolded fully as he fell, the wind rushing through his hair and past his ears as the tops of the trees got closer and closer with every moment. He only had one thought;

 

Freedom.

 

______________________

 

15 years later

 

“Ready to go Mr. Rogers?” Dr. Erskine asks, waiting as Steve moved around the ship’s cabin quickly, grabbing his notebook and go bag, filled with everything else he needed for the trip, including his epipen, inhaler, another notebook and a pack of pencils. Steve was hoping he wouldn’t need any of his medical things (nothing ruined his day like an asthma attack) but with the amount of health problems he had, Steve was lucky he was even allowed on this trip with Dr. Erskine. They were on an uncharted island almost perfectly in the middle of Africa and Australia that was supposedly filled with wildlife rarely or never seen before. He slung his go bag over his back before grabbing his suitcase, filled with the other things (like clothing) he’d need during their stay on the island. The boat wouldn’t be back for another few months, and it’s not like the tiny island had any service or charging stations.

 

“All ready,” Steve confirms as he followed Dr. Erskine off their docked ship. Waiting for them at the bottom of the ramp leading off the boat was their guide. He was tall, buff and his face seemed off in a way that made Steve feel slightly uncomfortable. He ignored it though, knowing that without this guide their research trip would be useless.

 

The man shook Dr. Erskine’s hand when he stepped off the ramp, introducing himself. “Brock Rumlow, from Hydra Wildlife Preserve.” It took him a moment to notice Steve, half hidden behind Dr. Erskine and the guide, Rumlow, raised his eyebrows. “You brought some kid with you?”

 

Steve glared at him. Sure, he was only 5’2 and maybe 95 pounds soaking wet but still! He wasn’t a damn kid. “I’m Steve Rogers, I’m writing a thesis on this island and its species.” He reached out, offering his hand for Rumlow to shake. Steve may be a little shit, but at least his considerate (his mama would have his head if he wasn’t).

 

Rumlow took it, larger hand encompassing Steve’s and practically crushing it as they shook hands. Steve made no sound, simply head his eye contact with the older man until he let go. “Let’s get moving then.” He turned around without further warning and made his way through a small path in the forest. “You can drop off your stuff at the camp before we head out for the day.” He explained, pace barely slowing down and with his long legs, Steve somewhat struggled to keep up the pace. He huffed, blowing some hair that had fallen into his eyes as he hiked his bag up higher, stepping over a puddle and rushing to catch up with Rumlow and Dr. Erskine, only to hear Rumlow go “…and make sure you stay close to me, most of these animals are ruthless and would kill you given the chance.”

 

Steve couldn’t help himself from rolling his eyes. These animals had probably never seen a human before so they’d either be curious or scared, the latter relating in attacks if they were provoked. Somehow, Steve thought wryly, he didn’t think Rumlow would be someone with a gentle touch if he startled an animal.

 

They reached the camp not too long after that, camp being a small clearing with a few pitched tents, 3 for sleeping, and one open tent for food. Steve picked the closest one (subsequently the farthest tent from Rumlow) and put his suitcase inside, keeping his go bag on him but pulling his sketchbook and pencil out. He tucked the pencil behind his ear before heading back out, rejoining Rumlow as they waited a couple moments longer for Dr Erskine to finish.

 

Steve didn’t say anything to Rumlow, instead opened his sketch book to an open page and began doodling, mostly just roughly outlining their camp because there wasn’t much else to do. Steve’s got the outline of the tents done by the time Dr. Erskine comes back out, apologising for taking so long when he sees the two men waiting on him. Steve puts the pencil inside his sketchbook this time, closing the elastic around the journal and hoping that holds it in place while the three begin their journey into the wooded part of the island.

 

Rumlow’s in the lead, with a knife out as he loudly talks and walks and slices down shrubbery in their path carelessly. “You know,” Steve finally huffs after about 20 minutes of this, “you’re probably scaring away any animals.”

 

Rumlow looks Steve over and rolls his eyes, but Dr. Erskine is nodding along in agreement with Steve so Rumlow lowers his voice but continues violently cutting his path. Steve, still wanting to say something because this oaf is ruining an ecosystem practically untouched by human hands, doesn’t. Instead, he stops, eyes wide as he makes eye contact with something in the trees. He walks forward slowly, unable to look away from the animal that’s slowly sticking his head out of the trees. Slowly, it climbs down the tree, cautiously making its way towards Steve.

 

The animal, by the looks of it, is a baby monkey but a breed Steve doesn’t think he’s ever seen before. It looks almost like a cross between a chimpanzee and baboon, with its hair almost a blond instead of the usual dark brown. Steve crouched down in front of it, pulling out his sketchbook and pencil to quickly start sketching it, making quick notes on the side about its colouring so he could properly colour it when they returned to camp later that night. As Steve quickly drew what was in front of him, the monkey approached him, curious as to what he’s doing. Steve smiled gently at it and, putting the last lines onto his sketch, turned around to show the monkey the drawing, as if it was a small human child.

 

“That’s you there.” He said, and the monkey reached out, fingers brushing the page before looking up at Steve, as if it was asking for permission. Steve was caught off guard by how intelligent the eyes seemed, and blinked a couple times, not knowing how to respond. The monkey seemed to get what he was looking for though and grabbed the page firmly ripping it out of the sketch book. Steve, startled, quickly pulled his book back into him. “No no no,” he said, voice still gentle although he was fairly confused. “I need that back.” He said and cautiously held his hand out.

 

The monkey sped off though and, without thinking, Steve ran after him, tripping over roots and his own feet as he tried to catch up to the much faster monkey. The monkey stopped, finally, in a small but dark clearing and Steve huffed loudly as he moved forward, “C’mon on now,” Steve said, hand reaching out and brushing the monkey’s shoulder. The fur was rough and calloused, and the skin underneath seemed almost patchy and scale-like. Steve’s eyes widened as he felt the monkey. “What the …” He trailed off, seriously confused by what he was feeling. The monkey made a sound of pain before scampering off into the darker part of the clearing, just as it seemed to light up with hundreds of eyes falling on Steve.

 

Steve was rooted to the spot as he realised that he had walked into these strange monkey’s den and they really did not look happy to see him. Steve took a slow step back as one of the monkeys began its decent down the tree. It was blond, similar to the baby but it’s body seemed almost human like in the way it moved. Steve sped up his backwards bid for freedom, not wanting to test what these monkeys did when someone invaded their territory but it seemed all too late for him. The monkeys moved fast, faster than what seemed possible as Steve turned around and ran as fast as he could, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he attempted to escape with his life. He could hear them closing behind him, and Steve looked around wildly for something, anything to help him escape but there was nothing except a massive valley in front of him. Speeding and figuring he was going to die anyways, Steve made the decision to at least try and jump over the valley and leaped at the very last second. He flew for a few seconds before he felt something grab him from behind, carrying him over the valley. Steve, not realising he had closed his eyes, opened them and looked up at his saviour.

 

And promptly screamed.

 

The man carrying him was, without a doubt, a man. Fully human. He had rather disgusting looking brown hair that fell to his shoulders and his entire body seemed covered in muscle. Steve barely had time to take anymore of the man in as they twisted and turned and jumped through the forest, the monkeys hot on their trail every step of the way.

 

Although initially terrified, Steve clung to the man in desperation, knowing that he was the only way Steve was going to make it through this whole ordeal alive.

 

For what felt like hours, but probably wasn’t more than 5 minutes, they leapt, ran and twisted their way around the jungle, out running the monkeys that were persistently following them. Finally, they were able to make a jump that the monkeys couldn’t and were safely standing on a thick tree branch. Steve jumped out of the mans arms, eyeing him carefully as he presses his back against the tree trunk. “What are you?” Steve asked quietly, eyes wide in a mix of curiosity and horror.

 

The man’s head titled and he moved forward, not stopping until he was right up against Steve, head pressed his his chest. Steve looked anywhere but at the man, unsure of what to do until he pulled back and forcibly moved Steve, making him listen to the other’s heart beat. Steve pulled back as soon as the other man’s force lessened and gave him a nervous grin. “Yes that’s, uh, that’s a very nice heart beat you have. Very nice.”

 

“Very nice.” The man repeated.

 

Steve’s eyes widened. “You can talk?” He asked, completely shocked. “All this time I just thought you were some weird, quiet, silent animal- thing- person? Are you a person? Why didn’t you say anything? It’s honestly quite impressive-” The man pressed his finger to Steve’s lips, effectively shutting him up. Steve glared and swatted the hand away. “That is very rude.” He said pointedly.

 

The man just shook his head and curled his arms in, as if pointing to himself. “Bucky.” He said simply. Steve looked at him confused and the man made a noise that could only be described as annoyed. He moved closer and did the action again, tapping on his chest. “Bucky.”

 

It hit Steve. “Oh!” He exclaimed. “I see!”

 

The man, Bucky, nodded. “Bucky.” He repeated, pointing to himself before pointing to Steve. “Oh, I see!”

 

Steve couldn’t help but grin. “No no no. I’m Steve.” He corrected.

 

“No no no. I’m Steve.” Bucky repeated back, looking hopeful.

 

Steve shook his head and got an idea. He pointed to Bucky. “Bucky.” He pointed to himself. “Steve.”

 

Bucky seemed to get it that time. “Steve.” He said, reaching up to cup Steve’s chin, looking into his eyes deeply. Steve’s face flushed but he found he couldn’t look away from the other man, captivated in his steel blue eyes.

 

“Exactly-” Steve said softly, voice being cut off by the loud gun shot. His eyes widened and he, along with Bucky, hurried to the end of the tree branch, trying to figure out where the noise came from. “Rumlow!” Steve never thought he’d be happy to say that man’s name.

 

“Rumlow!” Bucky repeated, making the gun noise with his mouth.

 

Steve laughed. “Yes, yes! Do you think you can take me to my camp? To that noise?” He asked.

 

Bucky nodded, grinning widely at Steve as he grabbed a vine and wrapped his large arm around Steve’s waist before jumping off, barely giving Steve time to grab onto the other man as he screamed in a mix of excitement and fear.

 

They seemed to swing right onto the steps of the camp, Bucky being able to find the camp via the one shot and Steve stumbling out of his grasp, moments away from puking. He manages to not though, and as he looks around he’s stunned. There’s apes everywhere, something just off about them in the way they move and look as they destroy the camp. Steve could really care less though because this is why he and Dr. Erskine came here in the first place. Bucky moves away from Steve and towards the apes, making ape-like noises at the one who seemed to be making the biggest mess and leading the others in their destructive rampage.

 

Whatever Bucky said to the ape has her moving slowly closer to Steve, a curious look on her face as she comes up to Steve. Steve gives her a smile, glancing between Bucky and the ape. He tentatively takes a step forward, reaching out as a huff of breath goes down his back. He turns around to-

 

“Holy shit…” Steve says, eyes going up, face-to-face with the largest ape he’s ever seen- pissed off to boot. He steps back slowly but manages to trip over nothing, falling down on his ass as he tries to scramble away. The ape sniffs at him, baring its large fangs before making a roaring noise and backing off. More and more apes seem to come out of the forest, looks of almost worry and disappointment on their face as they follow the ape which is clearly their leader across the ruined camp and back towards the forest. Bucky is one of the last to follow him, glancing back at Steve before finally being actually pulled away by one of the older apes.

 

In the distance, Steve can hear his name being called out and the noise gets louder and louder before finally, tearing his eyes away from Bucky, he calls out in response. “I’m here!”

 

“Dear boy!” Dr. Erskine says, helping Steve to his feet. “We’ve been looking all over for you!”

 

Steve blinks, finally understanding what just happened to him. “You’ll never believe what just happened!” He quickly launches into his tale, detailing every part of the monkeys from the beginning, explaining just how odd and different they were from anything else discovered. Rumlow looks bored by most of this conversation, annoyed even until Steve mentions Bucky.

 

“A man?” He inquirers, suddenly looking very interested. It puts Steve on edge.

 

“Yes.” He said slowly. “He was… tall, muscled. Long dark hair.”

 

“Did you see which way he went?” Rumlow shifted his gun onto his back, as if ready to run after Bucky.

 

Steve shook his head. “He left with some apes, I don’t know where they went.” He turned back to Dr. Erskine. “The apes were different too, they seemed almost… human. Definitely less ape-like than anything else I’ve ever seen.”

 

“An evolutionary step perhaps?” Dr. Erskine theorised, almost speaking aloud. “Perhaps frozen in time on this undisturbed island.”

 

Steve could only think of the things that would come of revealing this place to the scientific community - answers, yes of course. But also experimentations and possibly invasive studies. It made him worry.

 

______________________

 

It was a couple days later, Steve was sitting with Dr. Erskine as they went over in further detail about Bucky and the other creatures Steve had seen on his adventure through the forest. Steve had another sketchbook out, this time with coloured pencils and was talking as he drew and coloured the animals from memory, attempting to get every difference from regular apes right when suddenly-

 

“Bucky!” Steve all but shouted, completely started as the ape-man dropped down in front of him, hunched over just like the apes he had been describing to Dr. Erskine.

 

Dr. Erskine’s eyes widened as he took in the man in front of him. “Amazing.” He whispered, getting up to walk around him and inspect him. Bucky looked at him curiously but ultimately focused on Steve moving towards him with no mind for personal space.

 

He moved in until he was mere inches from Steve, reaching up to put a lose peice of hair behind his ear. “Steve.” He said, deep voice almost fond.

 

Steve flushed a bright red. “Um, hello Bucky.” He said, smiling almost shyly.

 

Just at that moment, Rumlow came out of his tent and noticed Bucky. He quickly grabbed his gun from behind his back pointing it at Bucky. Steve reacted instinctively, jumping up and pushing the gun up towards the sky just as Rumlow shot it.

 

“Rumlow!” Bucky said, moving around excitedly.

 

Rumlow paused, looking him over. “Do I know you?”

 

“He just thinks the gun shot is called Rumlow.” Steve said in explanation but Rumlow continued to stare at Bucky, taking his appearance fully in. Something about the look in Rumlow’s eye didn’t sit right with Steve but he forced himself to ignore it as he moved back towards Bucky and Dr. Erskine.

 

The doctor was taking quick notes in his own pad, occasionally asking a question that Bucky didn’t, or rather, couldn’t answer. Rumlow watched this exchange quietly before he moved in. “He could be our link to those apes.” He said plainly to the group before focusing on Bucky and clearing his throat. “Where are the apes.” He demanded.

 

Bucky’s head went to the side, almost dog like and Steve stifled a laugh. “APES.” Rumlow said loudly but slowly.

 

Steve huffed. “Shouting it isn’t going to make him understand. He doesn’t know English.”

 

Rumlow rolled his eyes. “Well if you’re so smart, why don’t you ask him?” He looked smug.

 

Steve, never one to back down from a challenge, firmed up. “I will.” He just needed a couple of days, was all. It was obvious that Bucky knew English once upon a time, otherwise he wouldn’t have the cognitive ability to say any words, much less Steve and Rumlow’s names. Not to mention that he could repeat things said before, he just needed to be retaught the meaning behind those words.

 

Steve disappeared into his tent for a moment and grabbed a few of the books and a photo album he had brought along with him to help ease homesickness before returning to the three others waiting outside.

 

Bucky came right to him when Steve came out and he walked a little aways from the group, settling down in a comfy patch of grass, leaning on a tree. He placed the books beside him and instead opted for the photo album, carefully opening it to the front page. It was a picture of him and his best friend, Sam, at statue of liberty in New York. Quietly, he began pointing things out and explaining them to Bucky, taking his time flipping through the photos. Each one had a different story and he made sure to share it with Bucky, explaining wherever he could as Bucky seemed to hold onto every word he said.

 

Their days seemed to follow just like that first one, Bucky arriving early in the mornings as Steve made his way through his photo album before moving onto the books and finally, just stories from memory. His childhood, fairy tales, movies, anything and everything he could remember the plot to as he and Bucky explored the island.

 

Bucky seemed to know every nook and cranny on the island, and seemed determined to show Steve all of them. It was a month later, and they were high up in the trees, Bucky offering Steve his own vine. “Oh I don’t- I don’t know.” Steve said nervously, eyeing the vine.

 

“Safe.” Bucky said firmly, nudging Steve towards it gently. Steve bit his lip, looking back at Bucky. He could tell, somehow, that Bucky meant that. Steve trusted him. So, he nodded and grabbed it, holding tight and letting out a small scream as he flew through the jungle on a vine. He opened his eyes after a second, the jungle blurring slightly around him as Bucky moved up higher, pulling Steve’s vine and pushing other ones towards him for him to grab and move to.

 

They slowed at one point, vines twisting together as Bucky slide down, just slightly above Steve as he looked at him, eyes deep with adoration and love. Steve could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest as Bucky’s face moved towards his, noses brushing. He breathed harshly, a mix of the strain from holding himself up and anticipation of what to come before, gently but awkwardly, Bucky pressed his lips to Steve’s.

 

Steve sighed softly, pressing his own lips firmly against Bucky’s as he moved to hold onto the other man, instinctively reacting to the kiss. Bucky helped grab some of Steve’s weight and they stayed like that for a moment before Steve pulled away, looking at Bucky in the moonlight. It was, without a doubt, the most romantic thing to ever happen to Steve.

 

And he wasn’t even sure if Bucky understood what it meant.

 

The weight of that hit him like a freight train. Bucky probably didn’t understand the romantic implications of a kiss or romance at all really. Steve was in an incredible position of power and he just abused it. His eyes widened and he felt sick to his stomach. “Bucky.” He said softly, unsure of what exactly to say or how to explain what just happened. “I should, uh, get back to camp.” He finally settled on, looking away from the other man.

 

They made their way silently back to the camp and Steve stood awkwardly when they arrived, unsure of what to do or say. “Buck I-” He tried. “Kissing is very- it means certain things.”

 

“Kissing?” Bucky asked, unfamiliar with the term.

 

Steve’s guilt deepened. “The um, lip touching.” He said, motioning to his own mouth.

 

Bucky smiled. “Kiss.” He said. “Dr. Erskine told me about kiss.”

 

Steve nodded. “Right, it’s just uh. Kissing is part of a romantic relationship.” He said, trying to think of a way to explain romantic. “Romantic is like… strong, deep feelings of liking for another person.”

 

Bucky nodded. “I like you.” He said simply, giving Steve a smile.

 

“Oh, Buck…” Steve said softly. On one hand, he felt elated but the rational part of Steve knew Bucky only thought he liked Steve because Steve was the only person who he spent time with. “You only think that. It’s not real.” He explained gently.

 

Bucky frowned. “I like you.” He repeated. “Dr. Erskine explain like.”

 

“He explained liking to you?” Steve asked, now a little curious. Occasionally, Steve did have to do work other than teaching Bucky but he had assumed that, during those times, Bucky was with the apes. It never occurred to him that he would still be at the camp.

 

Bucky nodded. “He says liking is like fast boomboomboom.” He said, pointing to his heart. “And hands get wet and feelings of happy when you see person you like.” He gives Steve a smile. “My heart is boomboomboom now.”

 

Steve gave him a smile. “Mine is too.” He couldn’t help but say. It helped, a bit, that Dr. Erskine had explained (at least to an extent) what feelings of love were to Bucky but Steve swore that tomorrow, he and Bucky would have to have a conversation about romance. He wasn’t going to coerce Bucky into a relationship. He needed the other man to fully understand, no matter how long it took.

 

______________________

 

That conversation never came.

 

The next day, the ship had arrived to take them back and Steve had spent the whole morning packing and worrying that Bucky wouldn’t show up until after they had left.

 

He was in the middle of dragging his bag of art supplies to the pile to be taken back to the ship when Bucky showed up right behind him, causing Steve to fall right into him. Bucky caught him, wrapping an arm around his waist and making Steve feel incredibly small, his arms and front making a wall of muscles.

 

“Bucky!” Steve said, giving him a quick hug. “I was worried we were going to leave before you showed.” He mumbled into the other man’s neck before pulling back.

 

“Leave?” He asked.

 

Steve nodded. “The ship’s arrived, we’re going back home- back to New York- to show the world our findings.” He bit his lip. “We were wondering- well I was wondering if you would… if you would come?”

 

Bucky paused. “New York today, home tomorrow.” He nodded, smiling.

 

Steve felt crushed. “We wouldn’t- well, it wouldn’t work like that.” He said softly. “We have to write papers, and present findings and it could be years until we come back, if we were allowed to. And we would have to petition for grants and that could go either way, depending on how our papers are received and-” he saw the confused look on Bucky’s face. “We might never get to return.” He said quietly.

 

Bucky understood that fine. “Steve stay.” He said, at first quietly before repeating it again, stronger. “Steve stay with Bucky.”

 

Steve’s jaw dropped. “I-I can’t-” he said, thinking about the millions of things he has to do at home, wants to do at home. “I have my degree- and friends- and-”

 

Bucky took Steve’s hand, eyes wide with hope. “Steve stay.” He leaned forward, forehead touching Steve’s and their breath mingling. “Please.”

 

Steve could feel the tears gathering behind his eyes and he shut them, willing himself not to cry. “I can’t.” He repeated, taking his hand out of Bucky’s and turning, needed to find some place without people so he could have a moment in peace.

 

Bucky watched helplessly as Steve walked away from him, wanting nothing more than to go after him. Bucky took a step forward, intending to go after him when Rumlow comes up to him, a look on his face that makes Bucky shift and feel uncomfortable. “Ah, first love.” He said, leering at Bucky and leaning inward. He wrapped an arm around Bucky’s shoulder and Bucky stood there, unsure of what he was supposed to do. “Even if you weren’t some inhuman experiment you’d be lost.”

 

“Experiment?” Bucky asked, confused.

 

A slow smile made its way across Rumlow’s face. “Ah so you don’t remember.” He hummed. “That should make things easier.”

 

“I don’t understand.” Bucky said, trying to take a step backwards but Rumlow’s grip on his shoulder tightened. Bucky let out an ape-like noise and used more of his strength, pulling out of Rumlow’s grip as he lets out a pained noise. Bucky’s eyes widen.

 

Rumlow grimaces but looks at Bucky with determination. “You will take us to those fucking apes or I’ll tell Steve all about you, how you’re not even human- just some monster. I mean, you so viciously attacked me.” He said pointedly, motioning to his hurt hand.

 

Bucky’s jaw drops. “But- I didn’t.” He said firmly. Steve would believe him, he knew Steve would… right?

 

Rumlow seemed to sense Bucky’s hesitance. “Well, would you know better? You’re not even human.”

 

Bucky swallows and nods. “I will take you to them.” He says quietly.

 

“Good boy.” Rumlow says, an evil grin coming over his face.

 

It makes Bucky feel unsettled and like he’s doing something he’s going to regret.

 

______________________

 

Steve couldn’t believe his luck. Yes, he and Bucky were separating, maybe to never see each other again but here he was, about to see a never-before-seen group of apes. He was making a once in a lifetime discovery.

 

It took them a few hours to reach the colony of apes, following Bucky over hills and across rivers, seeing parts of the island that Steve had never seen before, even on all his adventures with Bucky. He couldn’t believe it.

 

Finally, they climbed onto the top of some hill-mountain hybrid where the top was covered in leaves and trees and vines. Bucky went first, lowering himself slightly as he made ooh-ing noises at the closest ape, trying to get closer to her but she backed away, looking at Steve, Dr. Erskine and Rumlow in fear. Bucky tried to move forward, making the noises more instantly and lowering himself further. The ape only backed away further, looking right at Steve.

 

Steve bit his lip and took a step forward, crouching down to Bucky’s level and making a similar noise to him. His own voice was not used to the sound so it didn’t wasn’t the same but that didn’t seem to matter. The ape stopped backing away, looking at Steve with less and less fear with each passing moment. Slowly, she made her way forward towards Steve and Bucky.

 

Distantly, Steve could hear Rumlow saying something about getting up and not getting up and his endless chatter caused Steve to look around and up at him but was quickly distracted. All around them, in the trees above more and more apes were coming out of the trees and making their way down to the group. Steve could hardly believe his eyes.

 

Just like all the apes they had seen before, these ones had a distinctly more human feature and were bigger than any other documented ape - at least from what Steve could remember. Three babies seemed to be particularly interested in Steve and he sat down, trying to get closer to their level. One, the leader of the three it seemed, stepped towards him first, making small roaring noises while beating his chest but ended up tripping over his own feet before stumbling into Steve’s own lap, causing him to laugh. He gently helped the baby up to it’s feet, the hair feeling more like human hair than anything else he’d felt before from an ape.

 

Next to him, Bucky made a noise and the three babies rushed over to him, tackling him as the four rolled around, Steve grinning. He imagined, for a split second, Bucky carefully rolling around and playing with a human child, maybe one that looked just like Steve. Steve sighed and shook the thought from his head. Now was not the time. Instead, he made his way over to the four, allowing one of the baby apes to coming over to his lap, crawling around and climbing upwards as he talked to Bucky. “Maybe… maybe you could teach me some ape?” He asked, offering a small smile.

 

Bucky smiled back. “Oo oo ee.” He said, voice going deeper than he usually talked.

 

“Oo oh ee.” Steve tried.

 

Bucky reached forward, a rough hand gripping at Steve’s face and pushing the skin so he’s making a fish face before repeating the noise again, “oo oo ee.”

 

“Oo oo ee.” Steve grins as the baby apes around them go crazy, jumping and pulling at limbs before scampering off. “What did I just say?”

 

“Steve stays.” Bucky says, smiling up shyly at him.

 

Steve felt his stomach drop. “Bucky- I told you-” he started to say but there was a crash and a roar behind them causing him to whirl around, coming to see the largest ape he’d ever seen. Some of the ones in the trees had seemed huge but this ape, this ape dwarfed them and he was pissed, to say the least. Steve quickly scrambled to his feet, ruining back towards the path to get out of the ape colony as Bucky launched himself at the ape, roaring back at it.

 

The two of them fought viciously, Bucky desperately trying to hold the much larger animal back. “RUN!” He called out roughing, wrapping his arms around the apes neck, roaring as he lent back, managing to pull the ape back a bit.

 

Steve stopped just short of a fallen tree, hand on it as he glanced back, terrified for Bucky’s life. There was no way he could fight an ape of that size and yet… Bucky seemed to be holding his own fine. “Steven!” Dr. Erskine called, pulling on him to get him out of danger and it was only then that Steve turned and fled.

 

______________________

 

Steve could only believe in miracles when Bucky showed up the next day and simply said, “I’m going with Steve.”

 

Steve spent the entire rowboat ride talking about what they were going to do when they got back to the states, the people they were going to talk to, the things he was going to show Bucky and a million other things. When they got to the boat, a ladder was dropped and Dr. Erskine went up first as Steve turned to Bucky. “We’re going to see a million things together.” He said, smiling so widely it felt like his face was going to split in half.

 

“And Steve will stay with Bucky?” He asked.

 

Steve nodded. “Yes, of course.” He said and he reached an hand out, gently cupping Bucky’s face for a moment before tucking a stray piece of hair behind his ear. He blushed and dropped his hand, turning around and climbing up the ladder.

 

At the top though, he was met with vicious thugs who automatically grabbed him and covered his mouth, pulling him as he was kicking and screaming to the best of his ability down to a lower part of the ship. Steve watched in horror as four men crowded around the ladder and Bucky came up, shock evident on his face. Steve bit his captor hard on the hand as it flew back and he called out, “Bucky!”

 

Bucky looked over at him for a moment but had to quickly refocus to the men in front of him and escaping them. Steve, on the other hand, was thrown into brig. Steve watched in horror as Bucky jumped around the higher parts of the ship, trying to escape the men but finally, there was a loud crash and Steve knew, even with Bucky being out sight, he had been capture.

 

A loud gun shot went off and Steve could faintly hear talking. “Rumlow!” Bucky called out. “Help!”

 

There was an unsettling laugh. “Do I know you?” Rumlow hummed. “Oh right, you’re the unruly experiment that escaped Hydra’s grasps all those years ago.” He laughed. “You may not remember it, but they do. The first experiment to come out fully human and it escapes to live with apes.” The disgust was evident in his voice but Steve’s mind was whirling. Hydra? Experiment? Steve had a feeling that a lot more was going on than he, or Bucky apparently, knew. “Yes, I will be handsomely rewarded for bringing you and those other apes back to Hydra.”

 

There were a couple moments of silence before Bucky was thrown into the brig with the rest of them. It didn’t take long for Bucky to begin to lose it, leaping all over the place as he attempted to break through the steel walls. “Bucky stop.” Steve said after a few minutes of this. “It’s no use.”

 

 

Bucky huffed and walked around, dropping to walking on his feet and knuckles, obviously worrying. “This is all my fault.” He mutters. “I should have protected my family.”

 

Steve moved towards him, intent to calm him down but when he got to Bucky and reached out to touch him, Bucky turned and growled at him, face turning violent for a second before it went to horror when he realises it’s Steve. “I-”

 

Steve shook his head. “It’s fine.” He says quietly. They’re silent for a moment and Steve and Bucky looked up at the metal bars at the covering the top of the brig. The sky is already turning darker and no one has any ideas of how to break out or when Rumlow is coming back. “You can’t break those metal bars can you?” Steve says, not believing Bucky could at all. He just didn’t know what else to do.

 

Bucky pauses though and, using the other walls, jumps up so he’s hanging from the metal bars and begins to pull at them, trying to separate them. At first, nothing happens but then-

 

There’s a loud screeching noise as Bucky begins to pull the metal apart, making a small hole. Steve’s jaw dropped and-

 

He’s not entirely sure Rumlow was lying about Bucky being an experiment. Not that it matters to Steve (it honestly makes a lot of sense, what with Bucky being able to actually speak and understand humans after living with apes for all his life, and how he was able to hold back that massive ape a day prior).

 

It takes Bucky a bit, maybe half an hour, to make a hole big enough to get a person through before dropping down. He offers his hand to Steve and Steve grabs tightly around his neck, knowing Bucky will need full use of his limbs if he was going to get the two of them out of there. Bucky jumps up again, this time grabbing a piece of the unbent metal next to the hole. “Steve goes first.” He said firmly. Steve grabbed the edge of the hole and hauled himself out, rolling over so he’s laying next to the hole and the next person can get out.

 

Bucky helps Dr. Erskine and the couple of crewmen who were locked down with them before he runs to the edge of the boat and jumps out without any warning, chasing after a long gone Rumlow. Steve barely thinks, he takes off after Bucky and jumps out as well, following him.

 

By the time the two reach the island and are trekking towards the ape colony as fast as they can, night has already fallen and there’s a storm brewing as the sky threatens to open above them. The run to the colony seems faster this time, not as many hills to climb or rivers to cross over and Steve wonders if, the first time they had come, Bucky had taken them on a deliberately longer route to confuse them. It doesn’t really matter though, because by the time they reach the camp, more than half the monkeys are in cages or nets and Rumlow is lining up a shot to the biggest ape.

 

Bucky jumps in right then and there, using a vine to get momentum and he swings himself roughly into Rumlow and to set the ape free. Steve comes in behind him, setting to work with a dropped knife to begin cutting every net he can find, setting as many apes as he can free.

 

It doesn’t take long for the scene to become pure chaos, the freed apes taking to attacking the men and scaring them off at the very least while Steve hurries around to try and find more ways to help. Out of the corner of his eye, Steve sees two men carrying a cage off with the shy ape from before and he rushes over, using a vine like Bucky did just moments before to take out the first man. The first man drops a crowbar and Steve wastes no time picking it up and whacking the other man with it, knocking him out before he has a chance to do anything else.

 

Steve turns his attention to the ape. “Don’t worry, I’m going to get you out of there.” He says softly, placing the crowbar under the opening and using all his strength to try and push the cage door open. It’s no use, Steve just isn’t strong enough to open it. Suddenly, Bucky appears next to him and grabs hold of the crowbar as well, and the two of them push on it together to get the cage opened.

 

The ape climbs out quickly, grabbing onto Bucky for help and she’s just out of the way when a gun shot goes off. For the first second, Steve thinks it hasn’t hit anyone but then he sees Bucky clenching his arm, where there’s blood seeping out. He pulls his hand back after a second and Steve’s flooded with relief when he realises the shot only grazed his arm. They both turn around after this moment and, on the other side of the turned over cage, Rumlow is standing with his shotgun, looking stupidly proud.

 

Steve wants nothing more than to punch him in the face.

 

Before either of them can react though, the largest ape is roaring and coming out of the trees, charging at Rumlow. He barely makes it five steps though, as the gun goes off again, this time pointed at the large ape. He goes down in a moment and Bucky recklessly makes his way over, ignoring Rumlow. He stays by the apes side for a moment before roaring and turning on Rumlow. Rumlow shoots again, but misses as Bucky ducks and jumps around him, climbing up into the trees with some difficulty, due to his arm.

 

Steve uses this time to rush over to Rumlow, and deck him in the face. It probably hurt Steve’s hand more than Rumlow’s face but it felt good. Steve lines up to punch him again, but he’s too slow and Rumlow punches him once in the gut before kneeing him in the face and throwing him into a tree. Steve hits the tree violently and can do nothing but lay there in pain and listen as Bucky and Rumlow face off in the trees.

 

All he can hear is roaring, and screaming and falling in the trees before, after what feels like a million years but probably isn’t longer than five minutes, the skies finally open just as they had been threatening too and Bucky, soaked to the bone, appears in front of Steve.

 

Steve tries to sit up and groans in pain. “Is Rumlow…” he swallows, looking up at Bucky as he forces himself to say the last word, “is he dead?”

 

Bucky nods.

 

Part of Steve feels good, relieved that the other man is dead. He knows he shouldn’t feel this way, morally speaking, but Steve can’t bring himself to care. “Good.” He says honestly. Bucky reaches out and helps Steve up, groaning the whole way. “How’s your arm?” He asks, trying to get a look at Bucky’s bad arm.

 

Bucky turns so he can see it. It’s still bleeding, but less so now. It should heal fine, provided they see a doctor as soon as possible and it doesn’t get infected. Next to them though, the apes are already in grieving as the largest of them takes his final breaths. Bucky slowly pulls away from Steve (who transfers his weight to the tree next to them, carefully watching both Bucky and the apes) as he moves towards his family.

 

______________________

 

Epilogue - 5 years later

 

Steve couldn’t believe their luck. After everything that had happened on that island, after all the reports and experiments and press both of those things got (not to mention the amount of press Steve’s book on the whole ordeal had gotten), Dr. Erskine, himself and Bucky were back.

 

Bucky had followed them back to the states, on Steve’s promise that they would return to the island as soon as they could, damn everything and everyone else.

 

Steve was able to stay true to that promise, too. Today was the first day of construction on their brand new research facility on Bucky’s home island. There, they were going to study in depth the experiments done to Bucky and his family of apes, looking at both the social and biological impacts of the experiments to not only find out what had been done exactly to them but to also understand the effects it had on them.

 

While the research facility was in building though, they were back to tenting- or in Bucky’s case, sleeping in the trees with his family. Currently, he was tugging Steve along in a rush to see them, a feeling shared by both (although not as strong in Steve, it was Bucky’s family who he hadn’t seen in five years of course).

 

They came over the same rise as the first time into the ape camp but this time, instead of being met with hesitation and confusion, they were met with loud screeching noises of (what Steve assumed to be) happiness and a rush of apes. There were definitely more than Steve remembered, but that made sense. They had five years of having babies.

 

Bucky dropped to his old ape-ish posture, but his noises were a little rough from lack of use but the others seemed to understand him well enough. They made their way slowly through the colony before Bucky took off and ran to the shy, female ape that Steve distinctly remembered from their first visit. On their way home 5 years ago (and throughout their relationship), Bucky told him stories about growing up with the apes and finally revealed to Steve that the female ape he had met was actually the ape that raised Bucky.

 

They stayed for hours and as the sun began to set, Steve turns to Bucky to suggest they leave only to come face to face with him, a lot closer than people are meant to stand. Steve just smiles though, and tilts his head forward so their foreheads are pressed together. “Hello.” He mutters, lips brushing Bucky’s.

 

“Hi.” Bucky says before pressing his lips firmly against Steve’s. Steve laughs into the kiss, pressing back and reaching up to wrap his arms around Bucky’s neck, pulling him in closer. Around him, he can hear the apes making noises but he opts to ignore them as Bucky snakes an arm around his waist. They stay like that for a moment before Steve pulls back, giggling a bit.

 

“It’s like we’re making out in front of your family.” Steve laughs, face a bit flushed. “It’s a little weird.”

 

Bucky laughs as well and he pulls back a bit, instead wrapping an arm around Steve’s shoulders as the two of them walk to the edge, looking out at the sprawling forest below them and a sunset lit the sky in hues of gold and red. “This is romantic, yes?” He asks, turning back to Steve for clarification. It had been five years in ‘civilization’ but still, every now and again Bucky asked Steve to clarify something for him (usually Bucky’s first instinct was right).

 

“Very romantic.” Steve agrees. “A little cheesy though.”

 

“But you like cheesy.” Bucky points out.

 

Steve laughs again, softly. “I do.”

 

“I like you.” Bucky says, and then pauses. “I love you.”

 

Steve’s heart skipped a beat. They’d said it before, Bucky said it quite often in all honesty, but it didn’t matter how many times Steve had heard it. “I love you too.” He says and turns his head up to kiss Bucky again.

**Author's Note:**

> [transteveroger](http://transteveroger.tumblr.com/)


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